


Kohl

by Lyledebeast



Category: Robin Hood (BBC 2006)
Genre: Awkwardness, Kissing, M/M, Mentions of Sex, Mentions of past abuse, New Relationship, hints of dub-con, not in guy/allan though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-25 14:19:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10765983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyledebeast/pseuds/Lyledebeast
Summary: Allan watches Guy's morning routine. Asks a question. Overthinks.





	Kohl

**Author's Note:**

  * For [holyhobbitshit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/holyhobbitshit/gifts).



> This fic is a birthday gift for the extraordinary holyhobbitshit, who wanted Allan asking about Guy's eyeliner.
> 
> When we talked about this, we also talked a bit about a fic I'm planning that looks more at Guy's relationship with the sheriff, and some of that has made its way into this one too. So it's not quite as light and fun as it might be, but I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Thanks so much for all the lovely things you bless this fandom with, and I wish you a very happy birthday!

Though he would never admit it, Allan found he quite enjoyed mornings in the castle now.  At least those moments when he didn’t have to be aware of anyone except Guy.

As much as he valued his sleep, he’d always been an early riser.  The second eldest of six for most of his childhood, he’d always had more than his fair share of chores.  Later, he had done most of his poaching around sunrise so as to leave his nights free to ply his other trade: picking the wealthy pockets of Nottingham.  And, of course, when he was in the forest Much had always awakened everyone at what seemed an ungodly hour shouting, “Breakfast! Breakfast! Don’t let it get cold . . . again!”

And now for the first time in his life that he had the privilege of regular lie ins, he couldn’t manage them.  But Guy, who sat up next to him and stretched, didn’t need to know that.

Allan had been surprised to discover that he, too, was an early riser.  He was always out of bed before Allan, and he couldn’t help thinking it was probably because Guy had also often had the experience of being shouted at early in the morning, over far less pleasant things than breakfast.

It was the one drawback to sleeping with the Master at Arms. He never knew when he’d hear that deafening roar—GISBORNE!—that would postpone any pleasure he had been looking forward to.  Fortunately, they hadn’t heard from the sheriff the previous night.

Guy started to push himself up, seemingly with some effort, and Allan felt a stab of remorse.  Had what they’d done the previous night left him sore? It was just at that moment that Guy spread his arms a bit wider apart and pushed himself up from the mattress, letting Allan catch a glimpse of the damage left by Djaq’s acid. After that, would a little post-sex twinge even register as pain for Guy?

Allan closed his eyes again just as Guy turned to look at him, but he couldn’t drop the frown from his face.  Since he and Guy had become close, he had begun to see just how much he was under the sheriff’s power.  Marian had told him that she’d asked Guy once why he worked for the sheriff. “I chose power,” she had quoted with a shrug. That answer rang more hollow to Allan with each passing day. It was hard to imagine anyone more stripped of power than Guy was by the sheriff. Even the chamber maids could get away from him when they wished.  And he wasn’t interested in them as he was in Guy, Allan thought with a shudder.

Guy went to the basin beside his bed and splashed water on his face.  Allan let his eyes move over the long lines of his back and the curve of his ass, trying to banish thoughts of the sheriff with appreciation.  It didn’t work.  Poor Guy, he thought to himself.  For all his faults, he doesn’t deserve that.  He doesn’t deserve any of this.

“Sleep alright?” he murmured, cursing inwardly as soon as the words were out.  It was too early to think of something witty, but the impulse to check on Guy’s wellbeing in some way proved irresistible.

Allan almost sighed audibly with relief when Guy turned to give him a saucy smirk. “How could I sleep badly after that?” he asked.

Allan felt the heat rise up his neck to his ears, even as he grinned broadly. For a moment, they were both content with the silence. Guy stood up straight and crossed to the mirror next to his trunks.  Reaching out to the top of the uppermost one, he retrieved a small vial and brush and, opening the vial carefully, began applying kohl to his upper eyelids.

Allan watched with fascination.  He had noticed even before coming to live at the castle that there was something distinctive about Guy’s eyes, but somehow the simple explanation that he made them up hadn’t occurred to him. He hadn’t been certain until the first time he’d kissed Guy.  At such close range, it was impossible to miss.

He’d never actually seen him apply it, though. “How long have you been doing that?” he inquired idly.

Guy froze, with only one eye complete, meeting Allan’s gaze in the mirror.  He could see Guy’s face tense, as though he was tempted to lie about what he had been caught at.

“Doing what?”

Allan watched his own brows tighten with incredulity.  “The kohl, Giz.  How long have you been wearing it?”

Guy’s mouth tightened, but he remained silent.  “Fuck,” Allan thought to himself. “It’s something to do with the sheriff, and he doesn’t want to tell me about it because . . . fuck!”

“Sorry, Giz.  I just . . .” Guy raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

“I was just curious,” Allan finished lamely.

Guy turned to look at him, narrowing his eyes suspiciously, as though he were trying to determine an ulterior motive.  Allan was beginning to think lying back down and pulling the covers over his head might be the best idea when Guy turned back around, seemingly satisfied. He dipped the brush in the vial again, and raised it up to line his other eye.

“Another black night took me to a tanner in London who specialized in kohl as well as leather goods.  I’d noticed a lot of them wearing it, and Iiked the look of it.”

Allan sighed with relief, grateful that Guy didn’t seem to hear.  So it was just fashion. Thank God.

It did occur to him, as he got out of bed to stand behind Guy for a better view of the process, that perhaps that was a dodge too, just like what he had said to Marian about power. A simple answer to hide a far messier, uglier reality.

Or maybe Guy just wasn’t used to anyone being innocently curious about him.

The thought brought an inexplicable lump into Allan’s throat. Sure, working with Guy had gone much, much better than he thought it would, but these feelings . . . he didn’t know what to make of them.

But a second later when Guy looked up at him, his work complete, he couldn’t resist bending down to kiss him, drawing a surprised gasp.  Standing up straight again, Allan smiled.

“I like the way it looks on you, too.”

 


End file.
